Families Against Cult Teachings is dedicated to raising awareness and educating to the existence and methodology of dangerous active cults in the United States. Our organization also focuses on working within the law to hold dangerous cults accountable for their actions, and helping cult victims, both past and present, by offering care, guidance, and various kinds of support.

Thursday, March 8, 2018

I spoke to the person who filed the complaint at length this week about the situation their family was in. They are extremely distraught, afraid and trying to pick up the pieces of their life.

Complaint Filed this week:

"Name of Cult Group or Church: The Open Door Baptist Church

Where: Stonington, Connecticut

Leader(s): Frank Spaulding

Please describe the cult activity:

Too much to list,but shunning,counseling members to divorce if he didn't get the spouses to conform to what he viewed to be appropriate such as tattoos,hair color,or length.
Threatening to tell authorities you are a bad parent for disciplining your child by taking games for not doing chores. Advising things like transportation be sold to save money and use church vehicle's then sabotaging jobs by taking them.This way we'd have to come to him. Had forbidden us not to pay rent because he was putting us in a church members rental,then telling husband he'd no longer have a roof over his head unless he sent me back to NJ & because they have tons of foster kids/parents they'd take my son,give him a vehicle,a bank account,and anything else.
Had another women in mind for him.Told deacons to convince him to leave me.We fled Rhode Island with just our clothes.
Never new members.All because I had purple hair and refused to change it.This all in the midst of having breast cancer and kidney issues.
My husband was a commercial fisherman when we started there & it was a bad time of year so money was hit or miss.He forbid him to go fishing because church came first and he wouldn't give him anymore work to make ends meet if he did.
My husband just wanted to take care of his family.Pastor admitted telling others to counsel husband to leave me.
Was very proud of it and refused to apologize or say he was wrong.
Was very proud of his efforts.No members will speak against him
Only report things back.
He controls members finances,and churchs
Retired gov.accountant
No one buys anything past groceries without his approval.

1) When did you/they get involved & for how long?
May 24th 2017 to December 28th 2017

2) How did you/they get involved? How were you/they directly recruited?Pastor picked my husband up walking home in rain. Played nice buying him 1000 dollar wardrobe,Paying him to work at church slowly manipulating control over him

3) Are there other family members involved?
No

4) Has their been a disconnection of relationship(s) with family, old friends?
Yes

5) What are the circumstances currently?We moved to another state due to threats.
We didn't want to stay in our original hometowns in New Jersey because they knew where that was.

Impact from group: Please describe how you believe to have been harmed and/or wronged by this group. Be as detailed as possible, and send any supporting evidence via the email below.
We lost EVERYTHING Home,jobs,vehicle,furniture...EVERYTHING."

F.A.C.T. Organization Info

Families Against Cult Teachings is dedicated to raising awareness and educating to the existence and methodology of dangerous active cults in the United States. Our organization also focuses on working within the law to hold dangerous cults accountable for their actions, and helping cult victims, both past and present, by offering care, guidance, and various kinds of support.